Envelope



April 1, 1941. A. E. BARRETT ENVELOPE Filed Aug. 8, 1938 INVENTOR Arflul" BArPdfl ORNEY BY wt.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE Arthur E. Barrett, Columbus, Ohio Application August 8, 1938, Serial No. 223,609

2 Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes for letters, folders and the like, and more particularly to an envelope adapted to have an end thereof opened by a cutting edge on an enclosed sheet.

An object of this invention is to provide an envelope and a sheet or the like, to be enclosed in the envelope, the envelope having a relatively short opening in an end edge and a part of the sheet being adapted to be extended through the opening, and having an edge adjacent the part disposed obliquely to the end edge of the envelope so that the edge of the sheet will sever the walls forming the end edge of the envelope as the part is drawn outwardly from the envelope, thus cutting an opening through which the sheet is withdrawn.

A further object of this invention is to provide an envelope and a sheet or the like to be enclosed in the envelope, the envelope having an opening in an end edge, the edge being disposed at an oblique angle with respect to an adjacent edge, and the sheet having a part adapted to extend through the opening so that the part may be drawn outwardly from the envelope and cause an edge of the sheet to sever the walls forming the end edge of the envelope as the sheet is withdrawn.

Another object of this invention is to provide an envelope and a sheet or the like to be enclosed in the envelope, the envelope having an opening in an end edge, and the sheet having one end folded to form a relatively heavy oblique edge adjacent the said end edge of the envelope and the vertex formed by the fold being adapted to be extended through the opening so that the vertex may be drawn outwardly and cause the heavy edge to separate the walls of the envelope, forming the end edge, as the sheet is withdrawn through the end of the envelope.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an envelope and sheet orthe like to be enclosed by the envelope, the envelope having oppositely disposed edges, one of which is shorter than the other, and the sheet having an edge longer than the shorter of the two oppositely disposed edges of the envelope so that the sheet may be placed in the envelope in only one position.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein preferred forms of embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a sheet of paper partially folded preparatory to enclosing the same in an envelope;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the paper sheet folded flat;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet of paper shown in Fig. 2 having one end thereof partially folded at an oblique angle with respect to a long edge thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the sheet of paper shown in Fig. 3 with the end thereof folded flat;

Fig. 5 is a view of a paper blank for forming an envelope, the dotted lines indicating the folds to be made in the blank;

Fig. 6 is a view of the formed envelope with a sheet partially inserted therein;

Fig, 7 is a view of the sealed envelope with a sheet enclosed;

Fig. 8 is a view showing the envelope inverted and a part of the sheet extending through an opening formed in the end edge of the envelope; and

Fig. 9 is a view of a second form of envelope with a sheet enclosed therein, one wall of the envelope being broken away adjacent an end of the envelope.

Referring to the drawing an envelope, indicated generally at is formed of a paper blank 2| having a surface 22 that forms the front of the envelope, flaps 23, 24 and 25, for forming the back of the envelope, and a flap 26 forming a cover to seal the envelope. The back wall of the envelope is formed by first folding the flaps 23 and inwardly on the lines 28 and 29 respectively, and then foldingthe flap 24 inwardly on the line 30 and sealing the edges of the flap 24 to the flaps 23 and 25 with a suitable adhesive. The flap 25 is formed with a V notch 34 adjacent the cover flap 26, and the fold 29 is made t an oblique angle with respect to the fold 3i, one end of the fold 29 coinciding with the vertex of the V notch 34. Thus when the back wall of the envelope is formed as described, the edge of the envelope formed by the fold 29 will be at an oblique angle with respect to the fold 3| and a slot or opening 35 will be formed by the V notch 34 at the end of the fold and adjacent the cover flap 26, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Also the edge formed by the fold 30 is shorter in length than the edge formed by the fold 3|.

A sheet of paper having a width slightly less than the length of the envelope 20 is' adapted to be enclosed in the envelope, and in preparing the sheet for enclosing in the envelope, the sheet is first folded at 4| and 42 in the usual manner in folding letters, so that when the sheet is flattened, as shown in Fig. 2, there will be three thicknesses of paper folded together and the sheet will be slightly narrower than the depth of the envelope. Next the sheet is folded so that an end edge 43 will coincide with the edge formed by the fold 42, thus forming an edge 44 and 'a pointed part, or vertex 45. The edge 44 is approximately forty-five degrees to the fold 42 and comprises six thicknesses of paper and is therefore relatively stiff.

I The folded sheet 49 may then be placed in the envelope with the shorter fold 4! being inserted first, as shown in Fig. 6, and th cover 26 then sealed, by the adhesive thereon over the top edges of the'flaps 23,24 and 25. When the cover When the sheet is enclosed in theenv-elope as shown in Fig. l, the edge M thereof will be disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the edge formed by the fold 29, the angle between the two edges being approximately twenty-two and one-half degrees. Normally the vertex 45 of "the sheet will be inside the envelope as shown in Fig. 7. 7

When theenvelopeis to beopened and the sheet withdrawn, the vertex 45 may be extended through the opening by inverting and jarring the envelope, such as by tapping or shaking, to

cause the sheet to slide to the fold-25 and the part or vertex to extend through the opening 35.

The opening 35, being relativelyshort with respect'to the fold 29, permits only a small part of the sheet to extend out of the envelope. This part, the vertex 45, serves as a pull that may be gnasped and the edge d4 of the sheet thereby pulled againstthe lower edge of the opening 35. The relatively heavy edge 44, is thus caused to bear against the edge of the opening on the fold 29 at an oblique angle of approximately twentytwo and one-half degrees, and will, when pulled with-sufiicient force, sever the-flap '25 from the front surfiace 22 with a slicing laction'as the sheet is drawn through the end of the envelope. Thus the envelope may be readily opened for removal of the contents'thereof without the use of a cuttinghinstrumentor manual tearing, as the edge M serves as a cutting edge.

'Ihe' angularly disposed edge of the envelope, formed at 2-9, and the-edge Mpf the sheet prevent the sheet from being enclosed in the envelope incorrectly, that is, the sheet may only be enclosed in the-envelope so that the vertex &5

will be adapted-to extend through the opening 35 asdescr'ibed above.

Referring to Fig. 9, an envelope -58 is shown which is formed similarly to the envelope 20, having the-back wall oftheenvelope formed by folded flaps 5|, 52, and '53 join-ed by suitable adhesive, and a cover flap 54 for an opening at the top of the envelope. The flap 51 is folded so that it forms an edge '55 at an angle of approximately twenty-two and one-half degrees with a perpendicular to the bottom edge 55. Thus the opening at the top of the envelope is shorter in length than the bottom edge 56 of the envelope; A relatively small opening or slit 5'! is formed in the end'of the envelope between'the bottom edge 56 and the end edge 55. The sheet 30, folded as described above, may be securely enclosed in the envelope by placing the sheet-in the envelopewith the vertex 35 adjacent the opening 5-! and the edge 42 adjacent the bottomedge 55.

, Preferably the sheet All "is but slightlyless in width than the length l' of the envelope so that the vertex 45 will normally engage :the sloping edge adjacent the slit :5! and thereby prevent The edge the sheet from sliding out of the opening at the top of the envelope. wedged in place in the envelope and Will not be readily removed through the opening at the top of the envelope through jarring of the envelope. The cover flap 5% may be inserted between the sheet and the back of the envelope formed by the flaps 5!, 52, and 53 to prevent the sheet from accidently slippingout of the opening at the top of the envelope. The sheet may be removed from the envelope by drawing the vertex 45 thereof outwardly through the opening 51, causing the edge 44 of the sheet to cut the end edge 55 as the sheet is withdrawn.

This form of envelope is particularly suitable for mailing advertising matter in that the enve'lope need not be sealed and yet the matter enclosed in the-envelope is secured against accidental removal't-hereof.

Thus by this invention, a novel envelope and sheet for being carried in'the-envelope is provided, the envelope being re'adily'opened by a cutting edge formedon the sheet. The invention is particularly useful in connection with advertising matter in as much as it is an attractive novelty and the advertising matter enclosed in the envelope is readily removable.

While the forms of embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed cohstitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scopeof the claims which follow:

I claim:

i. In combination, a sheet having one edge longer than an opposite edge and an edge interconnecting the first two mentioned edges obliquely with respect to the longer edge for forming a cutting edge; an envelope for the sheet having onposi-te edges for inclosing the said "opposite edges of the sheetgone of said inclosing edges being shorter than the said longer edge, and an edge interconnecting the inclosing edges obliquely with respect to the longer of the inclosing edges, the last mentioned interconnecting edge having a. relatively short opening therein adjacent the longer inclosing edge and in alignment with the portionofthe sheet at the junction of the longer edge thereof and the first mentioned interconnecting edge, whenthe sheet is inclosed in the envelope, the first mentioned interconnecting edge being oblique with respect to the second mentioned interconnecting edge. I

2. In combination, a sheet having one edge longer than an opposite edge, an edge interconnecting the "first 'two mentioned edges at substantially right angles thereto and a second edge interconnecting the first two 'm'en'tioned edges obliquelywith respect to the longer edge; an envelope forinclosing the sheet having two opposite edges for in'cl-osing thefirst .two mentioned edges of the sheet, one of :saidinclosing edges being shorter than the said longer edge, an edge interconnecting an end of each of the inclosing edges at substantially right angles thereto, and an oblique edge interconnecting the opposite ends of two inclosing edges, the last mentioned interconnecting edge having a relatively short opening therein in alignment with the portion of the sheet at the junction of the'second mentioned interconnecting edge and the first. mentioned longer. edge.

ARTHUR E. BARRETT.

Thus the sheet 40 will be 

